In Depth:  disability & accessibility

Kay Morgan-Gurr

There are many chronic and fluctuating illnesses that give a lot of pain, and from what I see in the roles I do, there are many people in our churches who have such illnesses.

For many, this is invisible and what it’s like to live with chronic pain is largely misunderstood.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

For the first two articles in this series, see: "My church friend has become disabled: What do I do?" and "How to support a church friend facing disability".

In this, my third column on supporting people when disability arrives in their lives, I’m going to be looking at the issues around personal denial of a disability.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Last month, I wrote about supporting through the onset of disability; I wanted to continue that theme for a while.

This month, I want to look at some things that might not be understood – or might be misunderstood – after someone has been diagnosed with a chronic illness, or has had a late autism or ADHD diagnosis.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

In the news recently, we heard the shocking story of a child being "thrown" into the crocodile enclosure at Johnson’s Zoo in Cambridgeshire. Thanks to the bravery of the zoo owner's wife, the child – a three-year-old boy – survived but with serious injuries.

Of course, there has been an outcry from the public when it was made known the man arrested at the scene was a 20-year-old man with severe learning disabilities. He was at the zoo with two carers; apparently – from eyewitness accounts – enjoying his time there.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Disability affects 12 per cent of children, 25 per cent of working-age adults, and 45 per cent of people over State Pension age.

Many people in these figures will have been born with a disability, but the greater proportion of those with a disability have become disabled, due to either illness, a sudden medical event or an accident.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Having been on holiday in the UK recently, one of the things we did was visit a National Trust site.

This wasn’t an old house, but a Saxon burial site; when excavated, it revealed the grave of a king – along with his rather large boat!

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Mattel has created an "Autistic Barbie."

The doll was launched on 11 January, but is already receiving very polarised reviews.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

At the beginning of December, it was International Day of Disabled People. It’s also Disability History Month, which ends on 20 December.

But, we’re also coming up to Christmas and I like to mix relevant themes! So I’m going to add a bit of sparkle to the subject of how we interact with wheelchair users. Therefore I thought I’d give a vague nod to the song The 12 Days of Christmas and give you 12 ideas of what not to say to a wheelchair user. (Please don’t try to sing this to the tune!)

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Culture – in the evangelical church, we often talk about this in the context of mission and those of different cultures to the majority in our churches. We talk about being multicultural churches, referring mainly to race and sometimes to age-related "culture" such as youth.

In a country full of different cultures, many churches are working hard in their outreach to connect with many of them.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

I recently saw a social media post from a well-known disabled person. He’d been out for a meal with friends, one of whom was also disabled. They’d sat outside the restaurant for their meal - possibly because that was more accessible for them.

One of the restaurant workers came out and asked them to leave. They’d done nothing wrong; they were just a group of friends enjoying each other's company.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Is church "toxic" to a child's faith?

In answer to my own question, I believe "the church" can sometimes be toxic to a child's faith.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

July is Disability Pride month - it has absolutely nothing to do with LGBTQ+, although some do try to hijack it a little!

This month is a celebration of what disabled people bring to the world and who we are. It started in America, way before LGBTQ+ had one. It also had a different name, but "pride" was in its descriptors.

disability & accessibility

Kay Morgan-Gurr

We’ve all been told stories of the great saints of prayer. You know, those worthy people who got up early in the morning and prayed for hours, without a cup of coffee and before breakfast.

We’ve all, at some point, probably felt guilty that we can’t pray that way. But dig a little deeper into those stories and we will also find lives just like ours - fragile and flawed.

disability & accessibility

Kay Morgan-Gurr

You've most likely read or heard about the quiet UK revival, namely the rising interest in Christianity among younger generations as explored in the Bible Society's latest report.

I remember when my husband and I ran Whizz Kids groups for kids at large events. We prayed that if children became Christians, it would be an obvious work of the Spirit. As a result, we have heard many stories of children saying they felt they were woken by Jesus, or He spoke to them in the shower. One even felt God's call when on a funfair ride! A call to faith that only God could take the glory for.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

I smile a lot. I’m known for it.

I wear bright clothes, wacky glasses and glam up my wheelchair. I also receive a lot of comments about being smiley and bright, and living my life ‘out there’. I love life!

Kay Morgan-Gurr

The Government has now released its Green Paper on disability benefits.

You may have been aware of the discussions around this, both from the government and in the press.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

There’s a large pastoral issue arising that we all need to be aware of.

It’s a hidden pastoral issue that may be flying under the radar in many churches. The people these issues will affect will also often be under the radar too, and often unseen. The issue is this: the anxiety and potential acute depression that disabled people face in light of government plans.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Dignity. The dictionary definition of this word is 'The state or quality of being worthy of honour or respect.'

However, as Christians we use the word dignity in many different ways, and as a result its real meaning has been eroded over the years.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

'It’s not a competition!' This is a common phrase for me, especially when surrounded by competitive men.

When I ran camps, 'competitiveness' was often an issue with male leaders - often to the point of having to write this into my risk assessment. The desire to win a game often clouded out the need to keep children, and themselves, safe from injury! The risk assessment then became a competition - the win being to be named as a risk in it.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

It’s Disability History Month. This has happened every year from 16th November to 16th December since 2010.

Has your church ever done events around this, in the same way many do events around Black History Month?

Kay Morgan-Gurr

Have you ever had anyone come up to you and say, ‘I’d rather be dead than be like you’?

I have, numerous times! Apparently, people would rather be dead because they can’t see why anyone could want to be alive if they use a wheelchair. And it’s not just physical disability - there are many people who have the same view of autism.

Kay Morgan-Gurr

The 2024 Paralympics has been compulsive viewing for many - myself included. It hasn’t been without controversy in various areas and some of those issues continue to rumble on.

Those of us who use wheelchairs have experienced wheelchair envy as we’ve seen not just the sports wheelchairs, but the everyday wheelchairs that some of the athletes have - that probably cost the same as a family car.